HONOLULU—The University of Hawaii softball team (7-8, 0-0 Big West) split its doubleheader on Day 3 of the Hawai'i Invitational tournament. In the first game, Junior centerfielder Brittany Rossi came through with a walkoff single in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Kansas City, 3-2. Sophomore pitcher
Ashley Murphy earned the win to improve to 4-3. In Saturday's final game, the Rainbow Wahine tied the game in the bottom of the seventh as senior third baseman Angelique Ramos was clutch coming through with a two-out, RBI-single up the middle to force extra innings. Iowa however was able to post a run in the eighth for a 2-1 win.
Hawai'i 4, Kansas City 2
Murphy earned her second, complete game win this week to improve to 4-3 overall. She gave up just two runs while scattering five hits with a walk and two strikeouts in seven innings of work.
The Roos posted a run to start the game. With runners at first and second C Onstad reached of a fielder's choice to second. But on the play
Rachel Sabourin flipped for the out to
Nawai Kaupe at short to get the out, but the throw to first was errant which allowed the Kamantz at second to hustle home.
Hawaii tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the first.
Brittnee Rossi walked to lead off the home half of the first. She then stole second base. On the play, the throw from the catcher trickled into the outfield which allowed her to go to third. The throw to third from center was off-line which allowed Rossi to trot home.
Kansas City see-sawed back into the lead with a solo home run by Lia Lombardini in the top of the second.
In the top of the third Angelique "Cheeks" Ramos made a highlight-reel snare off a line drive to her glovehand side to help blank the Roos in the third.
After giving up a leadoff single to
Maya Nakamura, Kansas City retired the next nine-straight batters. Cheeks Ramos and
Mikaela Gandia-Mak broke up the streak with back-to-back singles to start the fifth. A fielding error on the second baseman off a grounder by Sabourtin loaded the bases for the 'Bows with no outs.
Bree Soma then hit into a 6-4-3 double-play, but on the play, pinch runner
Cira Bartolotti scored from third to knot the score at 2-2.
With a runner at third and two outs, the UH defense got a 4-6-3 putout with the ball ricocheting off of Sabourin at second to Kaupe at short who threw to first for the final out to preserve a 2-2 tie.
In the bottom of the seventh,
Maya Nakamura reached on a fielding error on the shortstop to start the inning. Ramos then got on off a fielder's choice that erased Nakamura at second. Gandia-Mak then had a carbon copy with a fielder's choice to short that eliminated Ramos at second.
Rachel Sabourin then drove a single to leftfield and
Bree Soma was then hit by the pitch to load the bases for Brittnee Ross. Ross took a pitch then laced a single to leftfield to drive in Gandia-Mak for the winning run.
Kansas City's Kaylin Packard took the loss. She also threw the complete game allowing three runs on five hits with a walk and a strikeout in 6.2 innings.
Iowa 2, Hawai'i 1 (8 innings)
The Hawkeys and Rainbow Wahine were locked in a scoreless pitchers duel until the seventh inning. Both teams were stymied at the plate until the last two innings.
In the top of the seventh after a ground out to second. Iowa's Nia Carter hit a single to center. She came all the way around the bases to score from first off a Lien double down the left field line. UH and Dino were able to get a groundout to second followed by a strikeout to prevent the Hawkeys from scoring more runs.
Hawai'i stayed alive rallying on two outs. Iowa got the first two outs on popouts.
Nawai Kaupe then drilled a single to leftfield and scooted to second on a fielding error. Ramos then hit a single off a diving second baseman up the middle to drvie in Kaupe to tie the score at 1-1.
In the top of the eighth, both teams start with a runner on second with the international tie breaker in place. Iowa's Monteer executed a sacrifice bunt to push the runner to second. Ruther then hit an RBI-single to left to score what proved to be the winning run.
Hawai'i was unable to push the runner from second to third. Instead the 'Bows had two popouts and a strikeout to end the game.
Dino tied her career-high throwing all eight innings. She allowed two runs on five hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
Iowa's Allison Doocy pitched a complete-game gem as well, spacing three hits while allowing one run with two walks and 15 strikeouts.
The Hawai'i Invitational concludes on Sunday with two games. Iowa will take on Kansas City at 12:00 p.m. and Hawai'i will play Portland State at 2:00 p.m.
